Server-Based Local Address Assignment Protocol

• US 20160261498A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Eastlake, Donald E. III, Zhuang, Yan, Li, Yizhou
• Granted Patent: US 10,797,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/00 Indexing scheme associated with group H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06

Abstract

An apparatus comprises: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: perform a random number generation; generate a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; and generate, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address. A method comprises: performing a random number generation; generating a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; generating, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address; and transmitting the initial message.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

perform a random number generation;

generate a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; and

generate, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is an endpoint client in the local network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the HID comprises a number of bits, and wherein the number guarantees within a probability that the HID is unique within the local network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the HID is at least 48 bits.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the initial message comprises a destination media access control (DMAC) field, a source media access control (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, and an HID field.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises a first value indicating that the local address is unknown, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a second value indicating that the initial message is an initial message type, and the HID field comprises the HID.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to select, from among a plurality of response messages originating from servers in response to the initial message, a first response message comprising the local address part and a media access control (MAC) address based on the local address part.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a confirmation message in response to the first response message, and wherein the confirmation message comprises a destination media access control (DMAC) field, a source media access control (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, and an HID field.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises the MAC address, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a value indicating that the confirmation message is a confirmation message type, and the HID field comprises the HID.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the initial message and the confirmation message to a proxy.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the initial message and the confirmation message to an intermediate node.

12. A proxy comprising:

a first port configured to receive an initial message from a client, wherein the initial message comprises a host identifier (HID) that substantially uniquely identifies the client within a local network;

a processor coupled to the first port and configured to amend the initial message to create an amended initial message comprising a port value corresponding to the first port; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the amended initial message to a server located outside the local network.

13. The proxy of claim 12, wherein the amended initial message comprises a destination media access control (DMAC) field, a source media access control (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, an HID field, and a port field.

14. The proxy of claim 13, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises a proxy media access control (MAC) address, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a value indicating that the initial message is an initial message type, the HID field comprises the HID, and the port field comprises the port value.

15. The proxy of claim 12, further comprising a second port coupled to the processor and configured to receive a response message from the server, wherein the response message comprises a media access control (MAC) address for the client and the port value.

16. The proxy of claim 15, wherein the proxy is configured to transmit the response message to the client through the first port and in response to receiving the response message from the first server.

17. A method comprising:

performing a random number generation;

generating a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network;

generating, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address; and

transmitting the initial message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating the initial message comprises:

generating a destination media access control (DMAC) field comprising a multicast address;

generating a source media access control (SMAC) field comprising a first value indicating that the local address is unknown;

generating an EtherType field comprising two octets indicating a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) protocol;

generating an S-LAAP type field comprising a second value indicating that the initial message is an initial message type; and

generating an HID field comprising the HID.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a response message originating in response to the initial message;

selecting, based on at least one criterion, a first response message from among the response message; and

extracting, from the first response message, a media access control (MAC) address.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating, in response to the first response message, a confirmation message by:

generating a destination media access control (DMAC) field comprising a multicast address;

generating a source media access control (SMAC) field comprising the MAC address;

generating an EtherType field comprising two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol;

generating a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field comprising a value indicating that the confirmation message is a confirmation message type; and

generating an HID field comprising the HID.